Instructions for Latigo Woven Fringe for Fleece Blankets

Below are instructions for doing a woven fringe around a double fleece blanket. This is a nice alternative to tying knots as the blanket lays flat and there are no lumps. This method seems easier for kids to do as well. 

However!!! 

These instructions do include the use of a rotary cutter....basically a round razor blade you roll to cut fabric. And like razor blades, they are incredibly sharp. Just slightly hitting one that is left open can cut through the skin. If fingers get in the way when rolling, it can cut off a portion of your finger. This is definitely not a tool to let kids use, especially unsupervised. When we have kids make these blankets, we have all the cutting done beforehand, and the kids do just the braiding. We have scissors available for any cuts that were missed, and adults make those corrections.

When using a rotary cutter, always observe basic safety...

• Always close the cutter when not in use! NO EXCEPTIONS!!!
• Consider purchasing Klutz Gloves to protect your hands while cutting.
• Don't use worn, dull blades - like your kitchen knives, these can be more dangerous than the sharp ones.
• Use an appropriate cutting mat and ruler/guide when cutting.

Quilt Fabric Challenge... would you like to win a....

...beautiful Project Linus Tote Bag???

Yes, that will be the first prize in our Quilt Fabric Challenge!






This is a Project Linus zippered tote bag by Port Authority. It is small enough to take with you yet holds all the necessities. Colors are happy aqua splash with bright lime strapping. The tote, made with 1680 denier polyester features soft web handles, a two-way zippered closure, and an interior pocket with hook & loop closure. Approximate size is11.5"h x 12.5"w x 5.38"d.



Prizes for 2nd and 3rd place are yet to be determined.


What is the Quilt Fabric Challenge? I'm so glad you asked!

The Quilt Fabric Challenge is a fund-raiser for our chapter. Packet to participate is $10 for a half yard cut of the Challenge Fabric, $15 for a full yard cut. You then take the Challenge Fabric and pull other fabrics of your choosing, and a pattern of your choosing, in with it to create a Project Linus blanket. We tentatively have plans to display these quilts in the at the Great Falls Public Library for a month. Don't feel your skills are good enough to rise to the challenge? These are Project Linus Blankets... they don't have to be fancy or elaborate to be something a kid will love... just fun! Please consider participating - remember... it is a fund-raiser for our chapter! 

If you need a Fabric Challenge packet, send me an email...  GreatFalls.MT@projectlinus.net .... and we'll figure out a way to get one to you. There is a limited number available... once these are gone we won't have more.

Half Way

Good morning, everyone!

Yes... we are half way... half way through summer... half way until we start our next blanket days!

The first half has been a crazy one in my life, so I'm ready to move forward and am hoping as I do things will settle back to just the normal chaotic I'm fairly used to.

So just a few things today....

Quilt Challenge Fabric

For all those who have not yet heard, we are once again doing a Quilt Challenge Fund Raiser for our chapter. Packet to participate is $10 for a half yard cut of the Challenge Fabric, $15 for a full yard cut. You then take the Challenge Fabric and pull other fabrics of your choosing, and a pattern of your choosing, in with it to create a Project Linus blanket. I'm not sure yet exactly how voting will be done, but there will be some prizes! In the past, these blankets were on display at the Great Falls Public Library for a month. Not sure if that will happen again, but I will investigate. Again... this is a fund raiser for the chapter... we buy a lot of batting and fleece and yarn. And PL Blankets don't have to be fancy or elaborate to be something a kid will love... just fun. Please consider participating! If you need a packet, send me an email... GreatFalls.MT@projectlinus.net and we'll figure out a way to get one to you. There is a limited number available... once these are gone we won't have more.

Pattern Plans for 2018-2019

We have selected some patterns for the upcoming year! Last year's theme was Easy but Elegant. This year, we will stick with less complicated patterns again under our Simply Sweet theme. I will provide a supply list for the first few here.



September - A Hole Lot of Fun!
For this pattern you will need...

* Background Fabric (White) — 1¾ yards
* Bright Fabric — Use a Jelly Roll, or cut some favorite bright fabrics into 2½” strips –you will need approximately 2¾ yards total. You could also use Charm Squares or a Layer Cake.

October - Fran's Gift

This will be one taught by Fran. I will get some details for yardage and update this soon.

November - Christmas Morning

Don't let the name fool you... this is a quilt for all seasons!

What you'll need....

* 30 — 10” squares of fun prints or solids (Layer Cake can be used)
* 30 — 5” squares of coordinating prints or solids (These can be made from remaining pieces of Layer Cake)
* 3 yards background fabric

Blanket Day Schedule

Our Blanket Days are set, and it is the same as the last several years.

• Helena - Moose Lodge on North Montana, 2nd Saturday of the month, 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. The exception is September... that one will be the 5th Saturday of the month.
• Great Falls - Moose Lodge in Black Eagle, 3rd Saturday of the month, 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Alrighty -  that's the highlights for now, I think. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Hope to see you all... and those Challenge Quilts soon!!!

gina

A New Year Dawning!

Hello Everyone and Happy 2018!!!

Yes, it is the dawning of a new year. If you were to ask me, I'd say it came at us like .... well, I can't come up with that just-right analogy. Regardless, it certainly feels like the last half of 2017 just went flying by and 2018 is smacking me upside the head!

My last post was August, I believe, and in that I mentioned the first few patterns for our monthly blanket days, but said I was saving the others so I would have to do another blog post. Which I am now... but I didn't intend for it to be last minute! Yeeks!

Blanket Deliveries...

First... some details on 2017.

I reviewed all my numbers and the total count for our chapter deliveries in 2017 is 1906 blankets! In just the last quarter - October through December - 787 blankets went out. That's nearly twice a typical quarter and explains very well the "It feels like all I do is blankets!" comment I made to a few.  If we compare 2017 to previous years, we delivered...

1617 in 2016

1414 in 2015

1316 in 2014

The overall total for our chapter stood at 11,333 at the beginning of the year.  Wow.

Monthly Pattern Outlook....

Okay, so now to the patterns...

January - Chevron

For this quilt you are going to need some WOF (width of fabric) strips. For each color/fabric change (zig-zag row), you will need one 6" x WOF strip.
You need at least 2 different colors/fabrics, and can go up to 19 different colors/fabrics.
If you use 19 different fabrics, you need only one 6" x WOF strip of each fabric. If you use only two fabrics, you will need 57" x WOF of each fabric.

February - Snowball's Chance

For this quilt you'll need...
2½  Yards Neutral Solid or Tone-on-Tone
36 10" Squares in Colorful Prints (there are 42 used in the picture to the right, however this makes it 80" long and we don't need it to be quite that big.)








I will another blog post out in February for our March and April patterns.

Blanket Cleanup

I am happy to say over the last several months, I've found only one pin in a blanket. Much improved from a year or so ago.... but still room for improvement. I'm aiming for ZERO!

I'll also mention that we're going into the time of year when animals start their change of coat. If you have any, please try to keep them away from the blankets (believe me, my cats have taught me this is an ongoing battle!), and if you work on blankets anywhere close to where they might nap, maybe put a sheet down and keep the blanket on that. The pet hair I'm finding is also very much reduced from a year or so ago, but I am still finding some. A HUGE 'Thanks!!!' to everyone who is going to special effort to eliminate these concerns for me!

Project Linus Mystery Quilt - Part 2 - The Mystery Quilt Challenge!

For those who want to take their completed Exploring the World with Ethan Mystery Quilt to the next step, a reminder was posted to the Mystery Quilt  Facebook page...

Just a reminder that we will begin accepting entries in the 2018 Project Linus Mystery Quilt Challenge Contest in less than a week (January 15th)! The FIRST 20 quilts entered will be accepted for the contest and then, if we have more than 20 entries we will select up to 10 more entries from the additional entries. I've seen so many beautiful photos of your finished Exploring the World with Ethan quilts and we hope each of you will consider entering your quilt. Here's a link with the contest rules AND descriptions of the GREAT prizes you can win! In addition, as the votes start coming in (beginning February 1st) we will be giving away some GREAT prizes RIGHT HERE on our Facebook group page as well!!!

 http://www.projectlinus.org/contest/details/ 

Remember - this is NOT a judged contest - it is a fundraiser for Project Linus which means any quilt entered could win! (See the contest details for more info.)

To win, all you have to do is enter and then get people to vote for your quilt. Yes, there is a small charge for voting, but it is a fund-raiser for Project Linus...that's how they raise the funds. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your workmates, tell your Facebook and Twitter and Instagram contacts, tell complete strangers! to go and vote for your quilt. I know there were some great ones from folks in our chapter!

Alrighty... that's enough for now. Stay warm and try to keep your head above the snow!

Blessings
gina